The present invention relates to an arrangement for shaping and marking a target. More specifically, the invention relates to an arrangement adapted to shape the target by mechanical processing and to provide markings on the target by non-mechanical processing.
In many situations, there is a need to provide indicative markings on a product, for example, traceability markings indicating the origin of the product, or promotional marks. Such indicative markings can be provided by non-mechanical, i.e. non-contact, marking techniques, such as laser engraving or ink jet printing. These non-contact techniques provide for flexibility in production and high production speeds. Often, the markings must be precisely located in a specific area of the product. To maintain a positional relationship between the markings and this specific area, the markings should be provided immediately before or after the processing step in which this area attains its final shape. Such a processing step could include stamping and/or punching of a target material to form an intermediate, or even a final product.
A conventional laser engraving system comprises a laser unit, which is fixedly mounted to a supporting unit and arranged to provide markings on a target in a marking area. This marking area is often, for reasons given above, located in the immediate vicinity of a processing apparatus. Normally, to eliminate any movements of the laser unit during the marking operation, the supporting unit is of heavy-weight construction and firmly secured to the ground by bolts or the like. In such an arrangement, when any adjustment or maintenance of the processing apparatus should be made, the laser unit and supporting unit must be disassembled and removed, and then reassembled again before restarting the processing apparatus. This is a time-consuming operation.
The object of the invention is to find a solution to the above described problems.
This object is achieved by an arrangement according to appended claim 1, preferred embodiments being defined in the dependent claims.
By making the supporting unit slidable between the two positions, the arrangement of the invention allows for accurate alignment of the marking unit with the marking area adjacent to the processing apparatus, during operation thereof, while also providing immediate and complete access to the marking unit and the processing apparatus since the marking and supporting units can be readily moved away from the processing apparatus. Thus, the time-consuming operation of disassembling the marking unit and the supporting unit, for example for maintenance, is eliminated.
The arrangement according to the invention is particularly useful in the manufacture of marked opening tabs to be attached to ends for cans. In this embodiment, the arrangement comprises a processing apparatus which is adapted to punch and stamp the strip to form the opening tabs. A laser unit is arranged upstream the processing apparatus and is adapted to provide markings on the strip in the marking area adjacent to the processing apparatus, such that the opening tabs after being formed in the processing apparatus have markings on a tab surface. The laser unit is supported by a supporting member which is slidable between a first position in which the laser unit is aligned with the marking area, and a second position in which the laser and supporting units are spaced from the marking area and the processing apparatus. This arrangement allows for high-precision marking, while also providing the operator immediate and complete access to the processing apparatus and the laser unit for maintenance or the like. Preferably, the laser unit is adapted to engrave the markings in the strip surface. Such an engraving operation provides for permanence of the markings, high throughput, high precision in position and layout of the markings, as well as flexibility in the layout and position of the markings on the strip.